It Starts with a Spark
by ScaryAry
Summary: Anna Barton didn't want to leave S.H.E.I.L.D. in fact it was all her older brother, Clint's idea. So out of the world of spies and aliases and into the world of normality, trying to pass Math class and Peter Parker. Rated T for swearing and future violence.
1. Welcome to Hell

Welcome to Hell

"Today is a new day." those are the wise and comforting words that my brother, Clark imparted upon me before dropping me off in my new torture device, school. You see, my dear lovely brother and I aren't what we seem. (Of course I can't be sure what we seem like, I've no idea.) You see, my brother, (whose name as I'm sure you have guessed is not Clark) and I are actually agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. (No I don't remember what it stands for, I'm sixteen give me a break)  
Most people know us by different names though. My brother (Clint) is Hawkeye, the guy with bow and arrow who like never misses. I, am the ever enigmatic Red Hood, the girl who runs around with a cape and an axe. Needless to say the Barton family has some issues. Which is why we've taken a "leave of absence". To help us regain a "sense of normality", as Clint says. To me, the whole thing is stupid.  
Personally, I loved being a super-hero. Taking down bad guys with my big brother and his girlfriend? Awesome! Traveling across the world? For free? Yes please! Seen Captain America's "assests"? Mmmmm. I had the perfect set-up. So what if I had no friends and I terrified boys my age, I was at the top of my game. I was a member of the freaking' Avengers! I didn't NEED a boyfriend or a high school diploma, from a legally recognized school. But no, that wasn't enough for Clint, he not only moved us out of S.H.E.I.L.D. into crappy New York, New York. He enrolled me into The School.  
Out of all the things about the move, I personally hate The School, the most. It's really old, and very very very Catholic. Like seriously. With the uniforms and daily mandatory praying. There are pictures of Jesus EVERYWHERE. Plus its a private school, which means everyone who goes there is preppy, overly smart, or snobby. Defiantly not the type of people I want to "socialize" with. But since I'm the "minor" and he's the "legal guardian" he gets to make the decisions and I'm stuck with them. (I really don't understand the legal system.)  
So today is my first day at The School, and it's not even the oh-it's your-first-day-fill-out-a-bunch-of- paperwork. (For being only sixteen I'm AWESOME at filling out paperwork, just a little helpful perk of being a spy/super-hero) So I have to actually go to class and sit by all these morons. As much as I love Clint, I seriously hate him right now. That's why when we arrive at The School, I don't say a word just get out and walk away.  
You see, Clint needs to talk to someone. It's just how he is, when we were little we would spend hours together, just so he could tell me everything that had happened to him that day. Yet strangely enough he'd never been able to keep a blog. Funny isn't he? So maybe if I don't talk to him he'll just give in. I'm just guessing here, not like I studied my brother psychologically or anything.  
For the most part, school was a blur, until final period that is. That's when I met Him. My final class was Biology, and apparently I came in on a partner assignment day. Lucky me. I like the juvenile outcast I am, sat in the back. Thanks to spending years with Natasha I know how to project this vibe, one that says talk to me and I'll fucking kill you, so I'm not bothered. The teacher is more of a moron than the students are; and the students are pretty freaking' bad. He's rambling on about this one time when he was in a band way back in the 70s and the Lord showed himself to him. He says it was the grace of God; I say it was the power of "shrooms. It is quite obvious that this talk is supposed to veer us away from drugs and find God, but really just makes me want to take a nap. in fact maybe I should do just that. Just as I start t settle in, a voice calls  
"Hi." I look up, slightly surprised who the hell is bothering me? The person is sitting right in front of me, a tall, lanky, awkwardly adorable guy about my age, with wide brown eyes is peering at me. "Hi," he says again, offering his hand "I'm Peter." I just look at him, blankly, hoping he'll take the hint. Instead he only smiles, which is far too wide and bright. I offer him my hand, hoping that this would would make him leave me alone. It didn't. He smile just widens "So, what's your name?" he asks, if this is his way of flirting with me, all he's doing is irritate me.  
"All right class, time to assign partners. Now these partners will be with you for the whole year so be nice. All the partners are assigned, so no switches." He begins calling out names he gets to the B's. "Anna Barton, with Peter Parker." the boy in front of me turns in his seat and smiles, just a little bit smugly. Well, this is going to be just wonderful.


	2. Boy Next Door

Chapter 2 The Boy Next Door  
The one and only highlight to my day to my first day at The School was this: I got back my baby. Given that I was raised in a carnival by my archery obsessed big brother, I'd always drooled over cars. I didn't speak car, no it was one of the few languages I wasn't fluent in. But god, I could admire cars for hours.  
So really it wasn't that surprising that Clint had gotten me a car when I was only fifteen. of course it wasn't just any car. It was The Car. My Baby. A beautiful cherry red 1968 Copo Camaro. The car I had drooled over for years. . In. Love. .Car. Then, six months ago, Clint (while drunk driving a jet pack) had an accident with my car.  
Funnily enough, Steve (who is like fourty years older than the car) knew exactly how to fix it. So that had been his project between like saving the world and stuff. He'd texted me this morning, saying that he'd finished it.  
As soon as he pulled up I began to bounce on the balls of my feet. God it was beautiful! I felt like a child on Christmas morning, waiting to open presents; all energetic and over excited. Of course every good moment has to be ruined so I wasn't too surprised that I felt someone watching me. Sure enough when I turned around, I came face-to-face to a very smug looking Peter Parker.  
Suddenly I became hyper-aware of everything. How close he was, close enough that if I leaned just a breathe forward our lips would touch. The way he smelled, (which was like cinnamon) This boy was dangerous.  
"Nice car," he said smirking at me, he peered at it for a second. "Is that your boyfriend?" he asked sharply. Boyfriend? Like who my car? As I turned I remembered Steve!  
"Uh.. no." I said stuttered lamely. he shrugged like he hadn't really cared. "Later Pixie." he said then proceeded to turn and skateboard away. Leaving me standing there, dumbfounded like an idiot. What the hell had happened?  
"C'mon Anna!" yelled Steve. Snapping back to myself, i ran into the car.  
After convincing Steve that, yes I was sure I could drive us home, it was my car god damn it. I drove us home, on only back roads and five miles under the speed limit. It was worse driving with them then with Bruce, the claustriphobic freak.  
"So, who was that boy?" asked Steve, overly curious.  
"Huh? Of that was Peter. He's just some guy I met in school. He's my lab partner for this year." I said, I could feel Steve's eye's on me, but I knew, with all honesty that I would never be anything more with Peter Parker, ever. "He was standing real close for him to be just "your lab partner" ." he said using air quotes. I rolled my eyes. We'd reached my house "Well, that's all he is. he just said he liked my car." I said, Steve sighed, running a finger through his hair. "Just be careful." he said, as I pulled up to our house. "Are you staying for dinner?' I asked, Steve shrugged, "I want to talk to your brother." was all he said as he climbed out.  
I was still mad at Clint, being mad was just one of those things I was really good at. I couldn't help it. I was easily irratated. But so were a lot of people, like Uncle Bruce (Who hates that I call him that. But he was the one that pointed out he was old enough to be my father.) Tony just liked to piss people off, whenever he could. I was quite that sadisitic. But, I could hold a mean grudge.  
I turned off the car, grabbed my bag and headed inside. I managed to get through the door, Clint must have left some boxes in front of it again. Last night, he'd been opening boxes and left a stack right in front of the bathroom door. I was going to move the boxes, Clint obviously wasn't going to, but then stopped. If he wasn't going to move them, well neither was I.  
I walked up to my room, weaving my way through all of Clint's things, bumping into a box here and there. I was going to have to be careful otherwise everyone would think that I was abused. Not that Clint had ever, or could ever raise a hand against me. It was our one rule, we never took our anger out on the other person. So sure, paying wrestling matches happened, but we never fought, at least not physically. We never fought, like ever. Maybe playfully, but never a serious I'm really mad at you fight. We just never had a reason too. We always saw eye-to-eye on almost everything, and even then, it wasn't ever about anything big. but the move. The move was the one thing Clint hadn't talked to me about. He came into my room at S.H.E.I.L.D. and told me. Didn't ask me about it, he just told me that's what we were doing. I had no other choice but to go along with it. It was the first time Clint had ever treated me like a child, someone who isn't capable of making big descions. Someone who can't be trusted. It infuriatated me.  
When I finally reached my room, I just wanted to do anything but think about Clint and how mad I was at him. I flopped onto my bed, pulling out my phone. Given that Tony adored me for some, strange reason. He said I was like the lab assistant he never had, but I think he thinks of me as a little sister. He'd given me the latest Stark Tech phones and other fun little gadgets. Which means, that I had the highest quality music player in like the world. Plus I always had access to the latest songs by my favorite band ever; Five Seconds of Summer. While I usually hate boy bands and all they stand for, (don't even mention the fans) I adore 5SOS, I am like their biggest fan. Clint hates them. But I'm always listening to them. I put on my favorite song, Try Hard while I danced around me room, singing along.  
After I listened to the entire cd, and was ready to repeat, someone rang our doorbell. I looked out the my window hoping I had a view of the front door, I didn't. I could go downstairs, but I'd have to talk to Clint. It was probaly Jehovah's witnesses. I decided to go downstairs anyways, just as I left my room Clint called up "Anna! We got company!" I rolled my eyes, why couldn't he just tell me who was here? I went down the stairs two at a time, hoping against all hope that it was Nat. She'd listen about Clint, and that Peter boy. She'd understand.  
Of course, I was slightly disappointed when I saw it wasn't Nat. She was supposed to be training in New Zealand or something. She couldn't come home until Christmas. It wasn't Fury, thank god but it was someone who already drove me to irrationality and whatever else. It was Peter Parker.  
He looked, well he looked perfect to honest. But he'd changed out of his school uniform, and was wearing a plaid shirt and some blue jeans, and hipster-ish glasses. His hair was a floppy mess, sticking up every which way, and he was of course smirking at me.  
I, on the other hand knew I must look bad. My hair was wild, my top had been unbuttoned a bit, and I was still wearing my school uniform. I looked like a dork.  
"Anna, this is our next neighbors, Peter and May." he said, introducing me. I nodded, Peter smiled  
"Actually, Mr. Barton," Clint and I winced, Mr. Barton was our dad, "Please," Clint said "Just call me Clark." "Clark," Peter amended "Anna and I have already met. We go to school together." he said. Clint turned to me  
"You do?" he asked, he looked hurt, like I wanted to come talking to him about a boy.  
"I hadn't gotten a chance to catch up with you yet." I said flustered, Peter smirked, as if amused by my by being flustered.  
Needless to say my day just got a whole lot messier.


	3. My Little Pixie

Chapter 3 My Little Pixie  
Peter's Point of View.  
Despite what the world wants to believe being a super-hero is not all rainbows and butterflies. It's really nothing but blood, lack of sleep, sweat and exhaustion. I should know, I'm Spider-Man. Yes, the camera – toting geek from Lutheran Prep is Spider-Man. Do I think I'm better than God? Yes, I do. Not that I'm vain or anything. I just take pride in what I do. Unfortunately, my girlfriend doesn't see it that way.  
Mary-Jane Watson, was once upon a time, my dream girl. Now she's a nightmare. We've been dating for nearly a year now, and she's a complete pain in my ass. I honestly wish I could break up with her. But you see, she's black-mailing me. Because she knows that I'm Spider-Man. She also may have some evidence to back up that claim.  
Besides, I think I might like my neighbor. Anna is unlike any girl I've ever met. I mean that of course in the best way possible. She's so, closed in. It seems like most of it is just because she doesn't know any better. She doesn't know how to be any other way, but closed off. She's really close to her brother, too which is nice. Even though they're obviously fighting right now. Which I have to assume is natural. Don't even get me started on how she looks. She's beautiful. And very small. So I've dubbed her Pixie. She hates the nickname, but it's too late. It's stuck for life now. She'll always be my little Pixie.  
I realize though, that this is not exactly the best time to be contemplating my feelings for her, given that I'm on Spidey duty. I look around, New York has been strangely quite lately. Ever since Anna showed up, actually after that. It was all quite nights and purse snatchers. I try to leave big things, like murders to the police. I don't want to get mixed up with that stuff. Just too complicated. Besides they'd probably need a record of it or something, and would "Spider-Man caught the assailant." Really fly in court? I didn't think so.  
Out of now where, I saw someone on a roof top, jumping from apartment-to-apartment top, something trailing out behind them. I decided for lack of things to do, to chase after them. Whoever they were was very fast though, and seemed to fly ahead of me. I chased after them, swinging faster, then I'd ever gone before, when I realized, that they were on foot and could only go as fast as human legs could carry them.  
I swung forward two buildings, then leapt onto the rooftop, waiting for them. She, for when once they got closer I could see her slight and feminine figure, nearly ran into me. I couldn't see her face, she was wearing a hood/cloak thing, that fell forward and shielded her face.  
"Good job," She said, "No one's ever caught up with me before. Congrats."  
"Well, guess they just weren't smart enough to think ahead." I replied, her voice sounded familiar but I didn't know where I recognized it from.  
"Guess not," She replied coolly, as if I were just wasting her time. "While this," she wagged a finger between the two of us, "Was fun and all, I've got things to do, people to see. I'll catch you around Spider-Boy." She said and with that, she took off. I was tired and honestly still a bit surprised by the whole thing, so I knew I wouldn't catch up with her.  
But what was Red Hood doing in New York?  
Anna's Point of View  
I'd almost forgotten that New York had its own heroes. Besides, the Avengers and Tony Stark that is. Of course New York was littered with supers, there were tons, but for some reason meeting Spider-Man had thrown me.  
He was one of the few I hadn't met before, and I'd met most of them. I'd met with the "Fantastic Four" and Ant-Man, and Falcon, War Machine/Iron Patriot, and dozens of others. But never, not once had I ever met Spider-Man. He was hard to track down, and I didn't know his know what his alter-ego. Fury had always told me it was none of my business but, who was to blame me for being curious. Didn't I as an American citizen in power, have the right to who was helping me protect Earth? Fury had argued otherwise. He trusted me, but not with everything. I sighed, thankfully I had gotten away before he could remember me, but I'd never not in a million years would have guessed that Peter was Spider-Man.


	4. Fake boyfriends and curb kissing

I like Peter Parker. There is absolutely no way to deny it. I am attracted to Peter Parker. I think he's God's gift for my eyes. Of course I'm not claiming to love him or anything, but maybe just maybe I like him. Who am I kidding obviously I like him. Not that it matters. It doesn't, it doesn't matter because it could never ever, not in a million years' work.

Well for one thing, we're both super-heroes. (Which trust me I am still reeling from that one) Super on super relationships probably wouldn't work out. I mean there isn't one. There are no two super-heroes that are together that weren't together either before they became supers or knew each other before they were supers. I've been a super for like ten years, and Peter. Peter is a low-chain super-hero. Everyone knows his name, yes that's true. But he isn't out there saving the planet or anything, just one small little city. Which is I'm sure good enough for him, but I could never be a small super. It's demeaning, and a huge demotion. I mean, I'm an Avenger why would I give that up?

Besides, Clint and I aren't going to stay in New York forever, so not only would I be like constantly risking my life, it would also be long distance. It would just, it wouldn't work. I know it wouldn't.

Of course, there is one major reason why Peter and I can never, ever not it a million years ever happen. He has a girlfriend.

Mary-Jane Watson, is the "it girl" of our school. She's gorgeous, she knows it; she also makes sure everyone else knows it too. Peter, is constantly talking about her, but I suppose it does seem a bit robotic. Like he doesn't believe or care about the things that he's saying. But Mary-Jane is convinced that I am out to get her, so if I stole her boyfriend. I don't think I could ever, ever show my face in New York again without being attacked by angry teenage girls.

As if somehow able to sense that I was thinking about her, the she-devil herself shows up.

"So Anna, are you going to the Halloween bash next week?" she asks, all polite smiles, fake nice voices and vicious eyes. Her entourage giggles, as if the thought that I should ever go to a dance is ridiculous. Which to be fair it kind of is.

But I want to pause for a second and let you absorb what just happened. Yes, the very religious school that I attend is throwing a Halloween dance. Because they're all about witches, and Satan and stuff right? I really don't understand this world.

"You know Mary-Jane I'm actually going to be running for Scream Queen." I say, I instantly regret it. I wasn't even planning on going to the dance, but now I just had to go and nominate myself for the dance Queen.

MJ's face however, is priceless; totally worth the future discomfort.

"Well, I'm going to be running too, so don't be surprised when you lose." She says, giggling as if something funny was going on. Which I suppose it was, Mary-Jane was looking a bit pathetic.

"Don't worry Mary, I'm sure I'll give you a run for your money." I grab my books from my locker, and walk away. I think I might have just declared war.

I needed to come up with a costume, which is hard because in all my sixteen years I've never been trick-or-treating or dressed up on Halloween. Peter had said he was going as Dracula, which to be honest is going to be adorable. But I couldn't match Peter, or MJ might just kill me. And I needed a date. I really had dug myself a deep and dark hole.

"Pixie!" Peter is yelling to me across the hallway, I forgot I'd planned to eat lunch with him today. I stop, knowing that if I keep walking he'll just continue to yell and attract more attention to me.

"Pixie, why are you declaring war on my gal?" he asks jokingly. Oh. She told him.

"Look, I know that for whatever reason you like Mary-Jane, but- "

I start but Peter interrupts me, "I know she's a bitch. Trust me, I know. But I just want you to be careful. You know, we should go to the dance together." He says, all of what he just said surprised me. He knows Mary-Jane is a bitch? He wants me to be careful? He wants to go to the dance with me? What does that mean? Are we going as friends? Or maybe something more?

Of course I don't ask him any of that. I just say "Cool." and allow him to prattle on about his ideas for costumes for me. He's even offered to help me run for Scream Queen.

I really don't understand boys, or girls honestly.

After school, I've come up with an evil plan. I've decided to determine once and for all if Peter really does like me. I'm going to ask Steve to pretend to be my boyfriend, obviously if Peter gets jealous that means he likes me right? I realize now, that I must seem crazy, but what other choice do I have? A lot, I have a lot of different choices, but this one seems to be my best option.

So that's why, when I'm standing on Steve's porch on Saturday morning, I'm not really too shocked to be here. Of course Steve isn't exactly awake right now, or has even consented to this plan. I rang his doorbell, knowing that he probably wasn't going to answer. I sighed, Captain America or not, Steve was just like any guy. He slept too much.

I decided to just go inside, knowing that Steve would throw a fuss but not do much else. His house was small, and a bit run down. He hadn't really changed it since he woke up from the ice. He'd of course had added an entire room for his exercise equipment, because he'd decided that he _needed_ it. Since I had helped Steve move back in here, I knew my way around. I reached his bedroom door, I paused for a second then just threw open the door.

"Steve! Wake up! I need to talk to you." He stirred, but wasn't responding. Given that I had a big brother, I had a bit of experience of waking up people. I launched myself onto to Steve.

It had worked better than I had planned. Steve sprang out of bed, when I had reached him, which since he sort of freaked out, threw me off the bed and into the wall.

"What the hell Anna! What are you doing here? God!" he said, helping me off the floor. I smiled through the tears in my eyes; I'd hit my head on the wall pretty hard;

"I needed to talk to you about something." He sighed, helping me into the living room.

"Whatever it is, it better be good." He said, sitting me on the couch.

Steve was even more unhappy when I told him what I wanted to do. "It's dishonest." He said. "So what, I thought you were all about me "finding someone" last week." "But that's different, I didn't have to take part in it." He argued. "Steve, how often do I ask you for stuff?", he paused thinking about it. "A lot actually." I hit him playfully on the arm "Not the point, please just help me with this." I plead. In the end, he caved in. He'd also decided to call over some "friend of his" to help me with this.

After a little while, I saw why Steve had seemed so nervous about asking her over. First off it was a her, which alone surprised me, but I kept my mouth shut. But I recognized her from school she was a freshman there, and she was really shy. But it was also obvious that she, also liked him. Those two were like to love-sick puppies, it made me sick.

She was tall, and well she was beautiful. Not that it was really that surprising, Steve had a thing for pretty girls, when he first started he'd had a huge crush on Nat for a while.

"Brenda, this is Anna. She is why I called you here. Well not the only reason, but that can wait. I will let her explain why she is here." Steve said, stumbling horridly over his words. He turned around and walked away, his face a bright beet red. She stood there for a minute, just staring at me, I stared back.

"Well since he obviously didn't tell you, I guess I'll just have too." I say, she sits next to me, obviously uncomfortable. Since she obviously doesn't want me here, probably because she wants to be with Steve by herself, I just dive in having now idea why I'm confiding in some strange girl. "have a boy problem. This particular boy lives right next to me and I think I may like him. What should I do?" I say, deciding not to mention my plan, knowing that it probably would just make me sound crazy. I'm also careful to avoid names, who knows what Mary-Jane would do if she found out I was plotting to find out if her boyfriend liked me.

She looks confused, as if unsure what she's supposed to do with that information. "I think you should try to tell him how you feel. Don't just keep running away that turns them off. If he asks you out don't freak and just do what your heart tells you to do." She says, then looks surprised as if she wasn't expecting herself to say that. I smirk, what a little hypocrite.

"Thanks for the advice, you should really take it yourself." I say, as I grab my bag of the couch, she looks confused again, as if what I'm saying isn't obvious. I decide to just spell it out for her.

"Please, I see the way you look at Steve. It's obvious you like him. When he said you were coming over, he was all weird and nervous. He blushed earlier. Like big time." _Of course it's not that hard to make Steve blush._ I think as I leave Brenda sitting there speechless on his couch.

It was the night of the Halloween Bash, and I was beginning to lose my nerve. I didn't have to go through with this. I could just stay home. No one would know. I didn't need to do this. I paced my room, biting my lip, I walked downstairs; taking extra care not to look at my window or at Peter's house period.

Peter and I had agreed to meet up at the dance, since he had to give MJ a ride. Apparently she was fine with him going to the dance with me, which honestly worried me a little bit. I wasn't expecting to win Scream Queen, but something told me something was going to happen tonight.

Ignoring the queasy stomach, and stupid nerves, I arrived at the dance and went inside. Steve had agreed to meet me, here a little early, so Peter would see me with Steve. Unfortunately, Steve had brought Brenda along.

"Steve! Why did you bring her?" I turned to Brenda "No offense I like you and all, but Steve and I had a _plan._ " I hissed, glaring at him. She smiled shyly like she was saying okay-lady-whom-I-barely-know. Steve sighed, "Don't worry Anna I remember the plan." He said, and as he looked past me, he turned to Brenda, "Sorry, that's my cue." He said apologetically. "What que?" she asked, but it was too late, Steve had already dipped me over and I laughed, caught by surprise by his action. He pulled me up, smiling.

"What are you doing?" I whispered as we walked over to Peter, whose face looked a little pale. Well that could be his make-up. Peter's Dracula costume was amazing. He looked equal parts cheesy and adorable. I felt like I should swoon into his arms. Which is the opposite of what my costume inspiration would do. I was Van Helsing, only with a feminine twist. Peter smiled, a mouth full of fake blood and fangs. "Great costume! Looks great!" he said, looking me up and down, when noticed that I noticed him looking he blushed. I could kiss him. He looked at Steve and his eyes narrowed "Who's your friend?" he asked, I smiled looking at Steve like…. how Brenda looked at Steve. I guess, I tried. "This is my boyfriend Steve." I say, hoping it sounds real. "Oh. I didn't know you had a boyfriend." He said coolly, "It's new," I find myself saying "I didn't want to jinx it. Besides I thought you would be happy for me, given that you have Mary-Jane." At the mention of her name Peter looks back at her, all dressed up like a princess, and he sighs. "Yeah," he says "I'm happy for you." He looks back at me, as if he were disappointed, 'You know, I should probably go hang out with my girlfriend, you know so you can hang out with your boyfriend." He says and walks away, his cheap cape swishing around his ankles.

"Steve," I whisper "What?" he whispers "I think my plan might have worked a little too well." but Steve doesn't reply, because he's left to go talk to Brenda who is looking very confused. Of course if the guy I liked took me too a dance then left me to go flirt with another girl I would be confused, and upset. Funnily enough that's exactly what just happened. This was going to be a very long night.

And it was, nothing fun happened until around ten thirty, which was when people were starting to get a bit drunk given that someone had snuck in some very horrid tasting vodka. Peter and I had barely spoken the entire night, and given that Steve thought his job was done, he was always with Brenda. A couple guys asked me too dance, but after I shot the first I've down they all gave up asking. I think though, that Peter must have been a light weight because we stumbled over too me, swaying with each step. He smiled, all big and cheesy when he reached me.

"You're looking very sad." He says, as if he's discovered the cure to cancer or something. "Why are you sad? Where's your boyfriend?" he looks around the crowd. I'd lost track of Steve some time ago, not wanting to see him happy. I was throwing a huge pity party and I didn't want him to smile all over my rainy parade. So I was surprised when Peter saw Steve and made a really weird sound. It almost sounded like a roar, or a strange battle cry. I turned following his gaze, Steve was kissing Brenda. Right in the middle of the room. I jumped up, knowing Steve and I were screwed. Peter on the other hand thought I was upset.

"I'm going to kill him." He promised his hands on my shoulders, what surprised me though, was not his ferocity or his touch. But his breath. He didn't smell like he'd been drinking in fact he was stone-cold-sober. He was faking being drunk? What the hell? Of course, Peter had taken my surprise and was making his way over to Steve. I followed hoping to avoid a huge scene. "Peter! Peter stop it! Peter!" I called, he purposefully ignored me. What was he going to do? There was no way he could take Steve in a fight. So when I reached him, thankfully before he reached Steve; I took his hand and pulled him in the opposite direction. He resisted obviously, tugging on my hand "Anna, look I don't know what's going on with you but- "He started, "Peter please, just let's go outside and I'll explain." I interrupted, he frowned looking at with those big brown eyes, a little skeptical. He relented, following me through the sea of bodies.

When we finally made it outside, the cool, crisp air was a welcome. It was so hot in the gym, with all those bodies pressed together. Peter turned to me,

"What's going on Anna?" he asked "Most girls would freak out when their boyfriend cheats on them, in public no less. But you wanted to talk?" he says, trying to make sense of the situation. I sigh, knowing that I have no choice but to come completely clean.

I sit on the curb, motioning for Peter to sit next to me. His gaze is intense, as if he knows what's going to happen next. "Peter," I start, "Peter, I like you." I say, he laughs "Yeah well I like you too Anna. That's what friends do, they like each other." He says, I hit him. "No you idiot! I like you, like the way you like Mary-Jane. I like you, like I want to kiss you every time I see you. I like you like more than a friend. I _like_ you Peter." I say putting an emphasis on the word. He doesn't say anything. We just sit there in silence. _Great job Anna! You ruined your only friendship in the God-forsaken place!_ Peter turns to me,

"I don't like Mary-Jane." He says, as if this explains something, I look at him blankly. "I haven't liked Mary-Jane for a while." He pauses, "You see I met someone else, someone new. Someone who drives me crazy. I think that might because she's kind of crazy herself sometimes. You see Anna, I like _you_. I like you, like how I should like Mary-Jane. I like you, like I want to kiss you, or touch you every time I see you. I'm always thinking about you, wondering what you're doing. What you're thinking about. If you're thinking about me." He finishes his cheeks turning red, my face starts to heat up too.

"Steve isn't really my boyfriend." I say, he laughs "I kind of figured." "I asked to help me make you jealous, so I knew. If you liked me." then hearing myself say it aloud it sounds crazy. Crazy and far-fetched and ridiculous, and I laugh. I'm laughing at the entire situation we're in.

He's laughing with me, and we're laughing. Sitting in the cold laughing, at our blindness to each other's true feelings and actions towards each other. Then our eyes meet, and suddenly it's like in the movies. Our eyes met, and then he was leaning towards me, or was I leaning towards him? Then our lips met.

Confession: I've never kissed or been kissed before. So when Peter and I, well let's just say I didn't expect it to be like that.

It seemed surreal. Those weren't his hands, gently cupping my face. Those weren't my fingers in his hair. This wasn't me and Peter. This was some movie some other girl was being kissed by a boy. Not me. This couldn't be me.

Yet here I was, kissing Peter Parker on the curb of a street in the middle of the night. That was me. So when we pulled away, it was strange. Like we were strangers. Like we were old friends who had forgotten things about each other.

"What happens now?" I asked, he smiled, his cheeks pink. "Anything we want." He said.


	5. Threats on Anna's life

Chapter 5 Threats on Anna's life

Anna was gone, or at least she was for now. She was off at some dance at school, Steve had gone with her. At least she was somewhat safe. Could she ever be safe now? Clint sat down, looking at the package he'd received nearly two months ago.  
This was the real reason they'd left S.H.E.I.L.D. screw normality. Anna was being targeted. She was being threatened. The package that lay on the table was filled with a detailed report on every mission Anna had ever gone on. It said what her code-name was, Red Hood. But what was scary were the pictures. There were dozens of them, all taken when she was off duty. Laughing with Nat, sparring with Steve. Walking down the hallway with Clint. Someone had gotten these pictures, from inside S.H.E.I.L.D.  
The threat was what had scared him the most. _Make Red Hood go away. Or I will. Tell no one of this. Especially your sister._ He hadn't, he wouldn't risk Anna for the world. But that didn't mean he had just given up. No, he was investigating. Looking into past agents, anyone Anna had gone on a mission with. Anything. He'd come up with nothing. Two months and no leads, it was discouraging yes. Clint Barton wasn't the type of man to give up on things so easily. He knew though, he was going to have to talk to someone. Who better to talk to then a dead man? He was flying out in a couple days, he and Fury were going to talk things over.  
Clint was going to find out who was threating Anna, even if it killed him.


	6. The Side Effects of being me

The Wrath of Mary-Jane

Of course, things with Peter and I had, changed. You don't usually confess your feelings for each other, and then walk away. We did that, and also made out, on a curb. He also kind of still had a girlfriend. She was currently screaming in my face.

"You. Fucking. Whore." She yelled, overly emphasizing every word, making sure everyone could hear her. Peter stepped in, "Mary-Jane- "he started but she cut him off, "You! Don't even get me started with you!" she said, leaning into his face almost as if she were going to kiss him. She whirled back to me

"Who the fuck," she swayed, great I was being bashed by a drunk Mary-Jane. Who knew what she would say. "Do you think you are? You think, that you, you little white-trash-hoe can come to _my_ school and steal _my_ boyfriend and get away with it? Oh hell fucking no!" she said, she pulled me close, her lips grazing my ear. She reeked of alcohol. "He's freaking Spider-Man. He's a fucking super-fucking-hero. I fucking hope he gets you fucking killed." She said, her voice darkening. She turned to Peter, giggling. "I told her," she laughed maniacally "I told her your _secret_." Peter pales, and he looks at me I just nod.

He faints. He literally faints. Right then and there in the middle of the street. Of course, no one else cares, now that Mary-Jane has left, stumbling drunkenly back into the school. I do my best to get Peter out of the street. Of course, I'm sort smaller than Peter, who is also kind of heavy and very tall. I manage to make it to the curb, pulling him onto the sidewalk.

Pulling his head into my lap, I surveyed the damage. Which wasn't much. The back of his head was a bit scuffed up, but that was only natural. When falling on to cement, worse usually happened. He was also beginning to come too. His eyes opened, staring right into mine. It was enough to make a girl swoon. I smiled, or well smirk-smiled thing. It felt weird, but right if that makes any sense.

"If our relationship is going to consist of me pulling your limp ass out of streets, I think you'll be dead very soon." I said, he smiled pink coloring his cheeks. He was just so adorable, and so open. It scared me a bit. "It's not true," he said, I furrowed my brow, "What Mary-Jane said. It's not true." he said, his voice hinting at hysteria. I didn't want him to faint again, but I wasn't going to lie. "Parker, you realize, that Mary-Jane honest-to-god said that into my actual ear, right? Like I could feel her lips, inside my ear moving. There was no possible way for you to hear what she said. The fact that you automatically seemed to know what she said, only proves that it was true." I say, he sighs. Frowning, he struggles to get up. "Fine," he says "You're right. You know Peter Parker's great big secret. Happy?" he asks; I raise an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, finally helping him up. "Look, just go ahead. Tell everyone you know. It's not like I care or anything." We're walking to my car now, since Peter had ridden with MJ.

I'm hit with a strange idea. I could tell him I'm Red Hood. I could. I could tell Peter Parker, my (I guess) boyfriend of about twenty minutes ago that I, Anna Barton am Red Hood. Peter Parker, you are one dangerous boy. Instead, I sigh "Look, believe it or not, this isn't the first time I've learned something about someone like this. You can trust me Peter. Your secret is safe with me." I say, he seems a bit reassured. "But I swear to god, if you ever, use one of those web things on my I might just kill you." I say. He laughs now. _Good_ , I think _we're sort of back on track._ Onto which track you ask? I have no fucking idea.

After Halloween, Peter sort of ignored me. A lot. Which is kind of hard, since we're next-door-neighbors and all. But he did, and it hurt. Could I really blame him though? Mary-Jane had confessed to me, that Peter was a super-hero. He was probably a little freaked. Not exactly something you want to tell a girl right after your first kiss.

Besides, I had other things on my mind. Like the seven girls who had gone missing in the past three weeks. All of them from Lutheran Prep. All of them pretty, and semi-popular. Was it weird? Yes? Did I tell Clint, I spent my nights trying to research into each girl, try to find some connection.

Or that I also spent my nights with Spider-Man, so I could be with Peter without being with Peter. It hurt too, given that I was so close, but drove me mad.

On the other hand, Clint was leaving in two days, and I was supposed to be staying with Tony for a while. Until Nat came back, on Sunday. Weekend at Uncle Tony's, yay! So basically, I was alone with no idea about what to do about anything.

Clint is hiding something from me. It's obvious, it's not like I know Clint for my entire life. It's something big too, something so huge that he won't trust me with it. Then there's Peter. I've never done that before, never had feelings for someone like that. So to do what I did, it took so much. Now he won't even look at me. It's like I'm losing everyone who matters in my life. Like I'm on some far away island. It's nearly heart-breaking. But enough about my pity party. It bringing me down, and besides being at Tony's means I can be Red Hood with extreme freedom.

Which, sadly enough was a terrible idea. For some reason, tony and Pepper had had some argument about Tony not being mature enough for kids. So when I drive myself over to Tony's tower. He ran outside jumped into my car, and told me to go home. So weekend at Tony's was really a weekend at my house with Tony watching over me like a hawk.

It was too much. So I resorted to getting over myself and calling Peter. But then Tony wanted to know who I was calling, what was I calling them about. Was Peter my boyfriend? Had I slept with him yet? Did Clint like him? Was he smart? Tony hated dumb guys who pretended to be smart. In the end, Peter was invited over for dinner, with Tony.

Which only made things ten times worse. How do you say "Hey remember when your crazy ex girl friend told me that you're a super-hero, do you remember the make-out session we had right after we confessed some feelings for each other?" Not exactly something that's very easy to bring up. Like ever. But I did. Kind of. After telling Tony, that Peter were and I were going to go upstairs and watch some TV. I tried to talk to him, but it seemed he had the same idea on his mind.

"Look, Anna about Halloween- "he started just as I went "So Peter, about Halloween." We looked at each other, the awkwardness taking over the lapse in conversation. "I'm sorry, I just thought you would want time after finding out." He stopped, looking down at his feet. I shook my head, a little time was nice, maybe I was just overreacting. "It's fine. I just. I wasn't sure where we stood now, after everything that happened." I said, he looked up his eyes so bright and hopeful that it hurt my heart to look at him.

"Well, I mean if you wanted we could always, go out to dinner or something." He said, trailing off sounding adorably nervous. I smiled, "Yeah I'd like that." I say, as we walk to my room.

When we reach the door we both stand there, as if unsure what we're supposed to do next.

"Um, do you like Doctor Who?" I ask, as I open the door. Then I blush fiercely my room is well, a bit embarrassing. It's covered in posters of 5 Seconds of Summer, and well Doctor Who. He walked in, grinning a bit smugly. "So, 5 Seconds of Summer and Doctor Who? Well I never had you pegged for a teeny bopper." He says laughing I punch him, as he dodges and lands on my bed.

"I've never watched it, Harry's he was a _big_ fan." He laughs sadly, as If remembering something bittersweet.

"Who is Harry?" I ask, flopping down next to him, pulling my laptop up to me. He shrugs, "Just an old friend, doesn't matter. He's not here anymore, he's gone." He says, and from his tone it's very clear he doesn't want to talk about it. We sit in silence as I pull up Netflix, and wait for Doctor Who to load up. Of course, even I wasn't caught up all, the. I myself just witnessed the death of Amy and Rory (which was very, very emotional).

"Okay, here's the thing, this show is extremely addictive, but I'm going to be a bitch and you have to wait for me to watch." I say, as I start the first episode, he laughs.

I think this relationship thing is going to be awfully fun.

 **Author's Note**

 **Hey guys, this is a short one... and very fluffy. Not much too it. Sorry! Next chapter will have Peter and Anna back at each other's throats. Sorry about the DW spoiler... More on what's up with Harry later!**


	7. Rabbit and Natahsa

Over the course of the past two weeks, (while juggling Avenger baby-sitters) Peter and I somehow managed to become a couple. Despite the harassment at school, from Mary-Jane it wasn't really that bad. We kissed a lot, which personally I liked. Kissing was fun, I understood why Peter and other people liked it so much.

As for Clint, well things were getting, strained I guess. We both knew the other was hiding something but neither wanted to be the first to give up their secrets. On the plus side, Nat was coming in to town tonight and Clint would be, well happier. And well, there was one other, kind of big thing happened.

I told Peter I was Red Hood. It had sort of come out when we were flirting, Peter somehow found out how I found his costume, extrememly. Um, tight, and very um attractive. It just came out, to be honest. He was teasing, and I was a bit agitated and well, out came my like biggest secret, to a boy I'd only known for like three months, that I was a top-secret agent. Smooth move, Barton, smooth move.

So, now Peter and I were the super-couple I thought we'd never survive as. The world just seemed to hate me. Of course, I wasn't exactly God' s Little Angel. Nor was Peter either, from the few times we'd

Clint had decided to, have the "talk" with me. Or to tell Natasha to talk to me about it. Which was very awkward.

"So, I know you and Peter are, together." She says, "I'm just making sure that you and Peter are being, _safe._ " She said,

"Nat, Peter and I have been dating for like a month. We're not going to be doing anything for a while." I say. Nat nods, "Good, because this was going to be weird." I laugh, "You know, I've never gotten to meet this Peter, of yours." She says, giving me a look. I bite my lip, "Yeah I know, I mean, how about he comes over tonight, before Clint leaves for his trip." I say, looking at her, knowing that I know that he's going to see Fury. She smiles, "Sounds fun." We nod at each other, knowing that this is just awkward now. Not that the main idea was that weird. Nat was the only constant female in my life, I regarded her as a combination of a big sister, mother and best friend. Nat was the only person Clint and I had had. For like a very, very long time.

Dinner was awkward. Peter had of course had just come over after school, so I'd given him a ride home. Nat was tough,

"So Peter, so nice to meet you finally." she said as she'd lunged on his hand. He'd smiled sheepishly and smiled

"You too, Natasha." he replied, looking to me for help. I shrugged and went into the kitchen. Clint, who was trying to make dinner caught my arms suddenly.

''Rabbit," he started calling me by my childhood nickname, causing my cheeks to redden

"What, _Clark?_ " I sniped, glaring at him, "I, uh I wanted to talk to you. About, the whole moving-from-home to here thing." I narrowed my eyes, _why was he bringing this up now?_ "Sure, go right ahead, talk." I said plopping into the nearest chair. "Look, I-we had to move. I can't tell you why, okay but I need you to trust me and know that I have a real good sane reason for doing this. Besides its not like you haven't gotten anything out of all this." He says gesturing around, I roll my eyes, trying absorb what he just said.

"Whatever Cli- I mean Clark." I stammer, as he pulls me in for a hug. "You all right?" I ask, he lets me go, "What? I'm fine! Why would you ask that?" he asks, turning back to the stove. "You called me Rabbit, and you hugged me. You going to say you love me too?" I tease. He pulls me in for another hug, and places a sloppy kiss on my forehead. "I love you Rabbit." He says before turning me loose.

Well, besides the fact that Clint had boarded the train to Weirdo-ville, dinner was actually fun. Peter and Nat got along pretty well and we all had fun watching Kingsman afterwards (Nat's always a bit behind on movie-watching. Given that she's still like a secret-agent and all) After that, Peter and I went upstairs to "watch Netflix and chill" I don't know why Peter got all weird about me saying that, given that was exactly what we were going to do.

"So you and Nat are really close, huh?" he asked as we lay down on my bed. I looked up from my laptop, "Yeah, we are. Nat was all Clark and I had ever really had. We, well I had never really known our parents they'd died after I was born. Apparently we had an older brother, but I've never met him. Clint doesn't like to talk about him." I say in rush. I don't like our family history, but it's all we've got. Might as well own up to it right? "Clint?" he asks, rasising an eyebrow, _shit fucked up again Barton. You really are losing it._ I lean over and kiss him, basking in the warm feeling I get when our lips touch. Peter pulls away "While I admire your diversion tactics," he leans in to kiss me again "you didn't answer the question." He says, I sigh, "So remember how I told you I was Red Hood?" he nods, "Well Clark, or um Clint is Clark's real name he, just he's using a fake one for time being." I say. He raises his other eyebrow. _God he looks good when he does that._ I think, "So not only is my kick-ass super-hot new girlfriend a super-hero but her older brother, and I'm just going to go out on a limb here and say her "big sister" are super-heroes too?" he asks, I laugh "Kick-ass, super-hot new girlfriend?" I ask, he smiles mischeviously "Does that earn me a reward?' he asks, I pretend to think hard about it, tapping my chin. "Well no one likes a kiss-ass. However you are a _okay_ kisser." I tease, Peter pretends to be outraged " _Okay?_ I am not just _okay!_ I am the _best_ kisser you will ever meet." He says, rolling onto his back arms folded across his chest. I push aside the laptop, and crawl onto his chest. "Aw, little baby pouting? Is the baby sad?" I ask, mocking him, he growls and pulls me down. I squeal a bit surprised at his actions, he leans in. Kissing me hard, we roll over, so he's on top of me and I'm pinned beneath his arms.

Of course that's when Clint decides to see if we're up to watching Mad Max. He just stands there in the doorway, staring at Peter in our um, comprising position. Peter quickly crawls off of me and I sit up. Clint's still sitting there, stock-still looking me in complete terror. He makes a strange strangled sound before he stammers out "Door stays open! Rabbit, Nat wants to talk to you." Then promptly walks away, shaking his head. Peter looks at me side-ways. "Rabbit?" he teases. I roll my eyes "It's, when we were little I used to love rabbits. So Clint used to call me Rabbit." I say, he laughs "I like it, it's cute." I groan, and tackle him "Don't you **_dare_** call me Rabbit!" I snarl at him, he kisses me, "Or what you're going to wiggle your nose at me?" he teases, looking at me, "You know you _do_ have a very cute nose." He says, as he kisses me on it. "Peter!" I throw a pillow at him. He dodges it as he rolls of my bed, "I should head home," he says, I crawl to the edge of the bed and kneel at it. He smiles, he kisses me quickly; before he pulls himself away. "I don't want to get your brother angry." He says, his cheeks turning pink. I sigh, and flop back onto the bed again. "See you Rabbit." he says as he walks away, I scream and throw another pillow at him. It hits the wall, where he was just standing. I never had very good aim.


	8. Ex-best friends and Secret Siblings

Chapter 8 Ex-Best Friends and Secret Siblings

You know the downside to being a super-hero, and having a super-hero boyfriend? He shows off, a lot. Like today, for example, Peter has s "big surprise" for me. He really just wants me to jump off a building with him.

"C'mon Pix, do you really think I would ever really put you in any danger?" he asks, I shake my head

"Still not jumping of a twenty-story building with nothing but you and your "webs"." I say, Peter sighs dramatically. He walks over to me, putting his arms around my waist. "Fine, I'm sorry," He says as he his grip tightens "but hold tight." And with that, he launches us off the building. My screams are loud even to my ears, but as we land I don't think that's the only reason my ears are ringing. Peter shakes his head, though his face is encased in his mask, I can imagine the pained expression, and the teasing smile. "Geez Pix, way to pack a scream. You're gonna make half of New York go deaf." He teases, dodging my playful punch. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting my boyfriend to try and kill me." he pretends to be offended "What? I would never! You insult my honor." He says, "So, up for round two?" he asks. I look at him skeptically for a second, then give in to my weaker self. "Fine but if I die I am going to haunt your ass so hard." I say as he scoops me up, "Would you please not talk about my ass in public? It's embarrassing." With that snarky-comment we're off again, flying from building to building, and fighting the urge to scream bloody murder.

Then it happens. Maybe my grip slackened or maybe Peter swung to hard, or wasn't holding on tight enough, but suddenly instead of flying I'm falling, and very fast. "Peter!" I scream, unable to stop my mouth from saying his actual name. I claw uselessly at the air until "oomph." I've landed on, a web.

The only small downside, my back is stuck to the web, leaving me looking like a turtle stuck on its back. I squirm trying to rip myself free from the sticky-ness of the web. Peter however, thinks this is hilarious and is laughing at me. Which only makes me angry, "Peter! This isn't funny! Help me up!" I hiss, as I continue to squirm. "You know," he says crawling over to me "since you're here and all, I really wouldn't mind a kiss, as a token on your appreciation." He says, I growl furiously "Are you kidding me! You're such a fucking pervert! Gah!" I fend him, off as he leans in. "I think that after saving your life and I, I deserve a kiss from the young damsel in distress." He says, I stiffen. "What. Did. You. Call. Me?" I growl, each word more menacing than the next. "Um," Peter scratches the back of his neck, a nervous tick of his. "You're beautiful and I love you?" he puts his hands up in a "so help me" gesture. "You-you love me?" I ask, stunned. He flops down beside me, "Well yeah, I mean it's fairly obvious. Most guys don't like hang around a girl, when every member of her family has like dozens of _legal_ ways to make him disappear, unless he loves her." He says in _this-is-so-obvious-how-could-you-not-catch-on_ sort of way. "D-do you love me?" he asks, trying to sound nonchalant. "Yes I love you, even though you're a pervert and all." I say. He laughs and kisses me quickly. "But I am sexy pervert, right?" "Sexy? I don't think your sexy babe. Maybe, adorable or- ""Don't you dare call me cute." He says. I laugh "But you are _very cute_." I tease. Now it's his turn to growl. "I am not _cute._ " He says defiantly. "I don't know; you are pretty cute." I say. Instead of replying, he leans in kissing me harshly and roughly. The kissing is one thing, but his hands are another. They seem to everywhere and my body seems to hum from where he touches me. I'm lost in him, in this crazy boy. This crazy cute, and kind of sexy boy. And I love it.

Then we hear it, the soft "click" of an old camera. Then someone scurrying out from underneath us and out of the alleyway. "Guess that's our cue to leave." He says, as he grabs me.

To be completely fair, I did try to tell Clint about the whole "not giving up being Red Hood and Peter being Spider-Man, and teenage girls being taken from my school thing" I tried, I really did, but we Barton's aren't exactly known for our sharing skills. So Clint ended up finding out another way.

It all started on that Friday when Peter and I were hanging out in my room, trying to find something to watch on Netflix. That's when the question struck me.

"Why don't you ever talk about Harry?" I ask suddenly, referring to Peter's "kind of" best friend, Harry Osborne. Peter shifts uncomfortably, not looking at me. "I just don't like to talk about him anymore." He says, as if that would end the conversation. It doesn't, if anything it makes my curiosity grow. "Well obviously, but I want to know why. I mean, c'mon we agreed no more secrets. He used to be one of the most important people in your life, and I don't know anything about him. Everyone talks about him, but you never mention him. What happened that could be so bad Peter?" I ask "I-we it was just complicated." He says, obviously uncomfortable. "Then uncomplicate it, tell me about it." I say, holding his hands, he sighs and looks at me for a long time. "Harry was the first person I ever told about, my being Spider-Man. Mary-Jane, well she was just this girl I had a crush on, nothing to me yet really. Aunt May still doesn't even know about me, being on Spidey. Plus, he was my best-friend, we told each other everything." He laughs, caught up in memories and moments I can't imagine. "It was cool for a while; you know? Me and Harry against the world. He helped me, came up with the name and the costume. Then his dad died, it changed him. He told me I wasn't doing enough, that I was being hard enough with the people I was catching. He grew paranoid, he wanted me to start going after the people in his dad's company. He didn't trust anyone, he told me they were all going after him. He wanted me to _kill_ them Anna. I couldn't talk him down, so I stopped answering his calls and texts. He dropped out of school, I haven't talked to him in a year. God, I feel awful about what happened. I was his best friend and I left him, I turned my back on him when he needed me the most. I'm not upset about Anna, I'm ashamed." He finishes, as he looks at me. "Hey," I say putting my hands on his cheeks. "I don't think any less of you for what happened. Everyone makes a mistake, and _you can still fix this._ " I say as he puts his head down. "Hey, Peter. I _love_ you. Okay? No matter what, I love you." I say, he smiles. Its weak, but it's a smile nonetheless. "I love you too." He says as he leans in to kiss me when BAM!

Clint has flung open my bedroom door open, and is looking positively furious. His eyes narrow when he sees Peter. "Gee Clint, what's your deal?" I demand I as I scoot off my bed.

"My deal? My deal, Anna is that apparently, my little sister and her new boyfriend, have been running around town playing super hero." With a quick, glance at Peter (who was trying to be invisible at this particular moment in time) I looked back at Clint. "What are you ever talking about?" I ask, "Don't, don't even bother playing dumb. I have _proof_ Anna." He says as he tosses a newspaper at me.

 _Is our Spider-Man entangled in a Red hot web of love?_ Below it was a picture of Peter and I (in costume) kissing in that stupid web he made. I toss the paper to Peter, who makes a small whimper in the back of his throat. I can't really blame him, the picture is of him, leaning over top of me, kissing me, with his hands in a rather unfortunate looking place. Plus, Clint _does_ know how to use his hands as a weapon.

"Peter, go home.' Clint says, tight-lipped, his eyes were narrowed and he looked, _dangerous._ Peter gathered up his things, nearly running out of the house, after we heard the front door close, Clint turned to me.

"Hood. Axe. Give them to me. Now Anna." He says. "No." I say instantly, "How can you do this Clint? I've grown up into S.H.E.I.L.D. That's my _home._ You ripped me out of everything I knew Clint. You made me go on this stupid leave of absence, but you never once said no being Hood. You've been hiding something from me, this entire time! What is _so_ important to you Clint?" I demand, but there isn't an answer. Just a stinging in my jaw as Clint's hand snaps out and he hits.

He. Hit. Me. Clint has never laid so much a _finger_ on me. But he _hit_ me. My eyes water, and Clint stands there speechless, stunned just as much as I am by his actions. He. Hit. Me.

I run, out of the room. Out of the house, down the street; out out out. I have to get away. Because he hit me.

I don't even know where I'm walking to, but I needed to get away from him. From everyone else. I just needed to breathe. That's when my phone went off. I fished it out, hoping it was Peter. I needed someone to rant at, and Peter was my boyfriend. He had to listen to me rant, right?

It wasn't Peter, in fact it was actually an Avenger meeting message. Telling me to meet up at Steve's house. I wondered briefly if this was some kind of intervention, it would so be just like Clint.

So I walked there anyways, hoping to find out something. Or get a really good yell in at Clint.

Instead, I walked into a house full of the Avengers, and my boyfriend, and that Brenda girl, Steve's girlfriend. She looked pretty pissed, which made me feel a bit better. At least I wasn't the only one who was clueless.

"Brenda, could you just sit please." Steve pleaded with Brenda, no one noticed when I slipped into the room.

"Why would I sit Steve? You couldn't even trust me enough to tell me you were Captain America." She screamed, seemingly not caring that there were some very important people in the room. Natasha stepped forward

"Brenda, I know this is a lot to take in, but you can at least let Steve and the rest of us explain ourselves." she says, Brenda just looks at her for a second. She looked pretty doubtful, until Brenda looked over at Steve. She looked so broken-hearted, possibly even more than Steve did.

"Fine, I will let him explain. As long as he promises no more secrets. He needs to fully trust me." She replied, looking a bit unsure.  
"I can't promise that fully, but I will promise to tell you what I am allowed to tell you. Does that work for you?" he says, as he wrings his hands.

"Yeah, I know how Fury can get." she says, and then blushes. She knows that she's slipped up about something. "Director Fury is my uncle, he told me not to say anything. He didn't want it messing with Cap's head." She says. Steve frowns, but the rest of us are in shock. Fury has a niece? That's well, it was unimaginable for Fury to have any sort of family.

"Well, I guess it's my turn to get my secret off my chest. Yes, I am an Avenger, but I couldn't tell you because it was a matter of security, But I guess it didn't matter because you knew who I was anyway. My question is though, weren't you the one in my room in S.H.E.I.L.D. when I woke up in the future?" Steve asked, as Brenda paled slightly.  
"Yes, I am the one who was in your hospital room when you woke up. I just didn't know how you would react. I am sorry that I lied." Then she looked over at Clint and said "Clint, your sister, Anna, needs you. No matter how angry she is with you she needs you. And if I were you I would listen to what she has to say. She doesn't like it here and would rather be doing super hero things. Just try to talk to her." I froze, how did Brenda know how I felt about the whole me-still-wanting-to-be-a-superhero-thing? Clint froze to, even more so when he realized that I was in the room.  
"Thanks. That's the first thing that I have heard of her. She's not getting into trouble is she?" he asked, _first he heard of me? Hopes I'm not getting in trouble? What the hell Clint?_  
"Brenda?" asked someone from behind, me. I turned surprised to see Peter here. Dressed in his costume no less.

"Brenda, Is that really you? I have been wanting to find you after all of these years. I don't think you know who I am because you have stopped looking for me. I'm your brother."

Well, that was just fantastic.


	9. Secrets, secrets and oh fun more secrets

Chapter 9 Secrets, Secrets and oh fun more secrets

Was I really that surprised that Peter had a little sister? I guess. Was I surprised that he had never told me about her? No, not really. There was a lot Peter and I didn't talk about, our past was one of those things. It just didn't seem right, to tarnish the possible future we had with bad memories. Now, was I upset that I hadn't known about Peter's sister? Hell. Fucking. Yes.

"Brenda, why don't you have a seat and we will explain everything." Steve, was surprisingly mellow about the whole thing. Wait. How did _Steve_ know about Peter and Brenda being related? This was so not fair. Steve was probably the one who set up this little meeting.

Brenda for her part, was looking very skeptically at Peter. I couldn't blame her. It wasn't exactly easy finding out that your brother was alive and whatever else might be going through her head.

"Why should I trust you after all of this? Do you think that I am stupid? I can assure you that I may be a lot of this, but I am not fucking stupid." She spat, her words were like slaps across Steve's face. I was almost tempted to interfere, but then after looking at Peter, who was looking at me, I felt Brenda was justified. How could Peter _no_ t tell me about this? I felt a bit sorry for her, having to have all of this thrown upon you, was well; it wasn't right.

"Brenda, we aren't trying to hurt you. We are trying to protect you." I say, oh god what the hell am I saying? S.H.E.I.L.D. isn't about "saving" its agents, it just uses them to make ends meet. Or at least that's what the board does, Fury isn't so bad. I guess.

"What are you trying to protect me from, Anna? I am the one that this threat is after, I deserve to know." She replied rather harshly but I ignored her

"Brenda, we would love to tell you, but we haven't an idea on whom or what is after you. You must trust us if we are to help you." Said Thor  
"Thor I presume. How can I trust you...?" she started to say but was interrupted.  
"Ahh, Steve you found yourself a feisty one. " Fury said, stepping out from behind me.

"That I did Fury, That I did." Steve coolly replied.  
"You see we needed you, Brenda. It was important to our operation that we had you under our surveillance..."  
"Why do you need to know where I am 24/7?" she interrupted him.  
"Because, we don't want the same thing that happened to your parents to happen to you." He stopped right there because Steve punched his arm. Peter, who had been trying to sneak up on me, froze, as he reached out to touch me. Brenda, face went through a range of colors. Red, purple, pink. It was like a rainbow.

"Clint you take Peter and I will explain to Brenda." Nat said,  
"Why do I have to take Spider-Boy?" Clint protested. Before Nat could answer Brenda harshly responded "Would you rather take him who is part of S.H.E.I.L.D. or me who could easily bit your head off because of this nasty secret?" I had to admit, she was a bit scary. Not as scary as me. Obviously.  
"Point taken. Let's go Peter." Well that settles that Brenda turned to Natasha and said "Explain, now."

I followed Peter and Clint, I would have to run interference between the two of them.

"So, I'll let you two, take this over." Clint says, walking out of the room. I sigh, but Peter sits down uncomfortably.

"Anna- "he starts, "So your mom is, apparently a super-hero." I blurt, not wanting to hear his justifications. He still hid this from me, after all the times we promised no secrets; there's a this big, human-sized secret.

His face looks pained, and for a second I feel guilty. "A super-hero?" he asks; I sit down beside him. "Yeah, her alter ego was Cat Woman. She was killed, by Loki; after your dad was attacked. They both died, because of him." I say, he inhales sharply. "I'm sorry, Peter." I say as he shakes his head at me. "That's not true. They died in a plane crash, when I was five. In a plane crash." He says, as if he says it enough times that it would be true. "S.H.E.I.L.D. covered up their deaths, made it look like an accident. Your mom didn't want this hanging over your head." Peter's about to reply, when the house shakes and we both collapse.

I wake up in bed, that is not my own; in a house that isn't my own. In fact, its more home than, the one the house I've been living in. It's cold and plain. It's a room from .I.L.D., or at least close too. I peek out the window by the bed, and see the New York skyline.

I'm in Avengers Tower, the place where we're all supposed to "live". I get up, deciding to look for everyone else.

The door opens onto a hallway that has several doors in it, I pick one at random. Inside, is Peter, laying in a hospital-ish bed. Other than two chairs the room is empty. I plop myself into the one closest to the bed, and take Peter's limp hand.

"You're such a dork, you know that? How could you not tell me about this? I thought we said no secrets! You said that you loved me, but you were hiding this from me? What else is happening that you're not telling me?" I ask, but he doesn't respond. He just lays there, the machines next to him beeping periodically.

I set in silence for a bit, not really wanting to leave Peter. Not wanting to face Clint yet. Or Nat. Who knows what Clint told her. At least Peter wasn't up and talking, yet. The door opens suddenly, and in walks Brenda. She saw me and turned to leave, I decided on a whim to be nice. "No please stay. He should wake up soon, and he needs to see you. He has a few questions for you." I say, she looks doubtful as she sits down, taking the chair opposite of mine.

We sit in silence for a bit, I mean what exactly can I say to her? "So, you're my boyfriend's secret sister that he never told me he had; how was your day?' I don't exactly think that will help to break the ice. So we just sit, in an extremely awkward silence, while we wait for Peter to wake up.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

After waiting for what felt like an eternity (but was actually only fifteen minutes) Peter woke up. Well it was more like this:

Brenda and I sat in silence when Peter suddenly leapt into a sitting position. I (instinctively?) jumped (well more like leaped) onto the bed beside him, comforting his obvious anxiety about waking up in a forge in place.

"Peter, you're fine." I whisper. Brenda must have decided that the moment is too sweet or something because she blurts out

"I hear you have questions for me." Peter looks a bit surprised.

"Yes. Yeah I do have questions for you. Well one to be exact." He replied  
"Alright, ask. I will try to give you an answer." she shot back.  
"Why did you give up your search for me?" He asked. She obviously wasn't expecting that question. She fumbled for words for a moment, then said

"I gave up because I knew it was hopeless. I was searching for someone who I didn't even know was still alive. Yeah, I saw you walking on the street about 3 months ago, but didn't believe what I saw because it wasn't true."  
"Why didn't you think it was true?" He interrupted. She frowned,

"Because you looked exactly like dad. I knew it wasn't true because dad is dead."  
"So that is why you thought that I was your brother?" He asked.  
"Yes. I didn't have the facts except that you are 2 years older than me just like my brother. I don't even know my true last name. I don't know my Aunts name either." She started to cry. I didn't like to cry in front of people, so I felt a bit sorry for her

"Brenda, did you know about my secret also?" He asked her like he was worried that she would tell someone who he was.  
"You mean that you're Spiderman? Yeah I knew. 3 months ago when I saw you on the street, I saw you run off in a hurry like you heard something. I followed you only to find Spiderman in the same alley you ran into. Only you didn't have your mask on quite yet. And don't look so scared, I didn't tell anyone your little secret. Who would I tell? I don't have any friends." She said just as she was getting up to leave.  
"Where are you going?" He called after her.  
"I am going to go and see where the fuck I am." Was her reply.

And with that, she stomped out of the room. Peter turned to me,

"What? She's you sister." I say, he groans and looks at me guilty.

"Are you mad?" he asks, "Are you mad that I didn't tell you about Brenda?' he amends. I think for a second.

"No. At first yeah. But now, I realize you must have had a reason for not telling me." I say. He nods

"I did, I guess if I thought that if I told you… it would make it real... That I was admitting to myself then, that Brenda could be out there. I guess I wasn't ready for that yet."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
We didn't talk about Brenda or his parents for a while. In fact, we ignored the topic all together.  
As for Clint, well he was gone about half the time, and the rest he never spoke to me.  
So one-day Peter asks me  
"Do you want to go to Avengers tower? I didn't get the best tour last time." The question throws me, but I nod.  
"Sure. Why not."  
We decide to go in normal clothes, (even though I do love Peter in his costume) just for the sake of slipping in easier. Not that Tony would mind, he loves Peter, but the public's prying eyes aren't as nice.  
Clint catches us before we leave,  
"Where you headed?" he asks, looking to Peter, pointedly ignoring me. Fine. Be that way. I nudge Peter,  
"Um, we're going to um Avengers Tower." He stutters. Peter is still nervous around Clint. Their last conversation wasn't exactly a good one.  
"I'm heading up there myself, I can give you guys a r- "  
"I have a car. Thanks though." I snap, before pulling Peter out of the house.  
Avengers tower is actually quite, quiet. Which is a little strange, given who lives there. There isn't even anyone hanging around outside, which is quite surprising.  
"Maybe while we're here we should see Brenda." He says, as he fiddles with his jacket. I shrug, who am I to deny him that?  
"Sure, I think I know where she's staying." I say, and we walk the rest of the way in silence.  
We meet Clint right before we reach the door.  
"Guess we all had the same idea huh?" he asks; this time he looks at me. This time I look away.  
"Yeah. Guess so." Peter says, trying to fill up the awkward silence.  
I open the door to the room,  
"Hey! Up for some company?" Clint asks, as we walk inside.  
The room is full of baby girl stuff. Like everywhere.  
" Brenda, what's with all the baby stuff?" Peter ask,  
"Well Peter, she is going to be a mom of 2 beautiful baby girls. I am the daddy. You're stuck with me now." Peter looked from Steve, to Brenda, back to him. He looks sick. I thought he might hurl Brenda on the other hand, did. I looked at Steve like 'why the fuck did you say that?' Steve couldn't _have_ sex _before_ me. Wait. That means. They. Oh wow. That's a mental image I will never get out of my head.  
"Anna, he said it because it is true. Don't mess with me right now or you will pay in the end. If you pay it will be your own stupidity that fucked, you." Brenda snapped. I didn't really get what she was talking about, but decided to let her be. Who the hell knows what hormones were coursing through her right now.  
After a bit of us just sitting there, we left. Well Peter and I did, Clint said he had some things to take care of.  
"So." I start. "Congrats. I guess." Peter looks at me,  
"Congrats on what?" he asks, I roll my eyes  
"On being an Uncle. Uncle Peter." I tease,  
"Well you'd be the Aunt. Auntie Anna."  
"No I wouldn't." I say, as I raise an eyebrow  
"Why not?"  
"Because we're not married, you idiot. Plus, you're eighteen, I'm seventeen. We have our whole lives ahead of us, I love you; but are you really going to want to be with me for the rest of your life?" I ask.  
"Well of course I do. That's why you tell people you _love_ them. Because you want to be with them forever." He says,  
"Did you tell Mary-Jane that you loved her?" I ask, I didn't mean for it to come out; but it did and Peter's quiet.  
"I always knew this would come up. Yes, I told Mary-Jane I loved her. I did. I loved her. For a while actually, but that doesn't matter- "  
"It does Peter! It does matter! You say that you love me, you say that it means that we'll be together forever, but it doesn't! Words don't mean anything! I could die tomorrow and prove your words wrong. Your words are nothing. You don't understand what's it's even like to lose someone. To have them die in your arms. You've never taken a life. You're so naïve Peter. The world isn't as nice as you think it is."  
"You think I don't know that? You think I don't understand that? I do, and I don't care. I love you Anna, while my words aren't much; that means that I will always be fighting for you, with you. That's what I love you means." He says, as he pulls me into his arms. "I want us to have a future Anna, kids white picket fence. The whole nine yards. I want that for us. Maybe not as soon, but I want that." Then I start to cry. I honestly don't know why. Perhaps Brenda's hormones have come off on me, because I'm not an emotional person. Not usually, but here I am crying in the Avengers Tower parking lot, while my boyfriend holds me.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
We decide on a whim, to go out, for a (super-hero) night on the town. Given the emotionally charged day we had, we decided that a nice night taking down bad guys would hopefully help.  
At first it wasn't a big deal, Peter was really just showing off, while I stood around freezing my ass off.  
That's when it happened.  
BOOM!  
The ground shook, buildings rattled. Someone had attacked Central Park.  
At first I was stunned. Shocked. There hadn't been an attack on New York since, well since Loki had brought over his alien army. That was months ago.  
BOOM!  
Another explosion. Was this a terrorist? Or a super-villain? Which was worse?  
Peter swooped down, grabbing me and swinging off.  
You're never in the right place at the right time, so that was why it took us a sad ten minutes to get to Central Park, being in the other side of New York. There had been three more explosions.  
How many dead bodies? How many lives?  
When we finally reached the site, it was debating. It smelled like fireworks and burnt hair. The air thick with smoke and debris. The park was ablaze, the huge Christmas tree alight with flames. Hundreds of people poured out, screams piercing the night.  
Peter was going into the park.  
"I have to make sure everyone is out of there." He had said as he sat me down and took off.  
It was worse on the ground. I could feel their fear, pouring over me in waves, drowning me with their screams of anguish and pain. The calling out for names, the look of worry when there wasn't a reply. The screams of the burn victims. Of their pain. It was enough to send someone into shock. To traumatize them forever. I wanted to close my eyes. To walk away. I wasn't needed here. What could someone like me even do to help? I couldn't help. I couldn't fly people out of here, or control water or something. I was just a teenage hit-man, who was trying to play super-hero. I didn't have any powers, what could I do? Tell them it's okay? I wasn't even as helpful as a firefighter. I couldn't run into the flames and pull people out. I was useless.  
That's when someone floated out of the crowd, key word here floated.  
"Hello New York! I hope you all are ready to evolve."  
Well this just got fun.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Evolve or die. Great motto. This girl should win an award, or something. I think as, I attempt to get a closer look at the electric figure.  
I say electric because the girl is literally, covered in streaks of electricity, shooting sparks at random into the crowds below.  
She's small, quite small actually so small that she looks like a child. I climb a top a nearby news van, attempting to get a better view.  
I guess even during an attack by a super-powered girl, New Yorkers are observant.  
"Is that Red Hood?"  
"What's she doing?"  
"Where's Spider-Man?"  
"Are the Avengers coming?"  
"Get the cameras rolling! Now!"  
I sigh and roll my eyes, Seriously?  
The higher elevation is exactly what I need to get in order to better see the floating figure. It is a girl, a rather small one, and I know her. She's Veronica Smith. A small fourteen-year-old girl who had disappeared a month ago, she was a freshman at Peter's and I's school.  
That meant I was right. The disappearances meant something. There had to be a reason so many girls were being taken. So they could be given powers?  
Unfortunately, that was when Peter came swinging out, it all happened so fast I almost missed it. Veronica saw Peter, and Peter saw Veronica. He reacted rather instinctively as he attempted to cover her in webbing (which I still found gross). Veronica was quicker, she struck him. Lighting coursed through her arm, reaching Peter in a heartbeat. He started to fall, faster than I could move. It wouldn't matter anyway. I didn't have super-strength. I couldn't catch him, I couldn't fly. Peter was going to die.  
I ran towards him anyways, as if my being near would stop the unstoppable. Then, nothing. There wasn't a sound. Which was a good sign, I didn't exactly want to hear my boyfriend go, SPALT on hundreds of New Yorkers.  
Yet, the New Yorkers had caught him. Nearly twenty people cradled Peter amongst them, slowly lowering him to the ground. Have I ever said that I love New York? Because I do greatly.  
Veronica however wasn't exactly happy with this new development. She lowered herself nearly touching the ground. Most people backed away from Peter who lay there, quiet. She winded back her arm, as electricity coursed through her arms, to the tips of her fingers.  
"That's my boyfriend you skank!" I roar as I launch myself at her. This takes her by surprise and she looks up, shocked. This gives me a chance to tackle her to the ground. Given that she wasn't far off the ground the fall didn't do much to her. I on the other hand took quite the blow. I think it broke a rib.  
I hated tackling people, the fall always hurt a lot, and you never landed on the person. Even when you did they weren't very cushioning.  
Veronica jumped up, while I still lay there panting. I hated being a normal human sometimes.  
"Can we just like, take five? That jump really wiped me out. Let me just take a breather." I pant, as I lay on the ground trying to catch my breath. Veronica just looks at me like I'm crazy. Which I take as an insult. She looms over me, winding up again, a wicked grin across her once innocent face.  
"Has anyone ever told you it's rude to attack someone while they're down?" I ask as I kick her feet out from underneath her. Her head makes a nasty crack against the pavement. "You know I'm going to tell Santa on you! You're so going on the Naughty List." I say as I deliver a nasty blow to the head knowing her out cold.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
"Did you kill her?" asks a reporter, shoving a microphone in my face.  
"Kill her? God no! I just knocked her out. I don't kill kids. Santa will deal with her." I say as I crawl off of Veronica's sleeping form. "Anyone got some muscle relaxers? Or some alcohol? Or both?" I ask.  
"B-but you're a hero." The reporter says looking dumbfounded. I shake my head  
"No my boyfriend is a hero, I'm just a normal human girl in a cape. Like Kick-Ass." I say the reporter doesn't get the reference.  
"You mean you don't possess any powers?" she asks,  
"No. I possess only the power of sass and sarcasm, but everyone has those at their feet if they want to use them." I say, as I try to limp over to Peter. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to check on my boyfriend. Make sure he's alive and all." I say. This is apparently not enough for the bimbo, because she follows me hounding me with questions.  
"How can you be an Avenger if you have no powers? Are you really dating Spider-Man? Do you know his secret identity? Why are you in New York?" Even though this lady is annoying I shouldn't have done what I did next.  
I lunged for the lady, tackling her to the ground.  
"I told you" I wrestle the microphone from her hands "to leave me alone." I then proceed to beat her over the head with the microphone.  
"What Red Hood means to say, is that she can't answer any of those questions." Steve says, as a silence falls over the crowd. Steve pulls me off the (completely fine) bimbo of a reporter. As he helps her up, (and she's totaling laying her hurt on the thick). I'm collected by a few cookie-cutter S.H.E.I.L.D. agents.  
"She should learn how to take a hint." I grumble as I'm lead to a van, and we drive away leaving the burning park behind us.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
'Do you guys have any eggnog?" I ask as Is it in the back of a (rather small) van. There are a total four agents with me, two in the front and two in the back with me. Two of them just freeze, the driver laughs but the one in the passenger seat hands back a bottle in a paper bag. "See he gets it," I take a sip, wincing as it goes down. "A girl wrestles two people to the ground and she needs a drink." I say as I take another swig.  
"So you're dating Spider-Man?" asks one of the ones in the back.  
"Yup."  
"I thought you dating Hawkeye." One of them states, this is the driver. I laugh, lots of people think Clint and I are dating, even though he's (obviously) with Natasha.  
"He's my big brother." I say.  
"I heard you dated agents." One of them says, a bit disappointedly.  
"I'm seventeen." I say simply as I take another sip from the bottle. This apparently wasn't the right thing to say, because one of them plucks the bottle from my hands.  
"Seriously? You are part of a secret government organization that deals with super-heroes and aliens. You guys are worried about underage drinking?" I pout as we pull to the stop.  
"C'mon Princess, you're supposed to go to the infirmary." Says the one who handed me the bottle. He leads me out of the van, I shrugged off his hands.  
"I need to go see my boyfriend, he was- "  
"Agent Barton, I'd like a word." Steve says, as he frowns at me through his mask.  
"What? I need to go see- "  
"You need to go the infirmary."  
"No I- "  
"That's an order Barton." I glare at him. God damn him, ordering me around. Stomping and glowering the entire way, Steve and I walk down to the infirmary.  
The medic, told me that I was fine. I'd broken my nose and a rib and dislocated my shoulder. I also had sprained three fingers. I was told to lay off the tackling and to be wary of button-smashing video games.  
"Now we can go see Peter." Steve says, as he leads me deeper into the headquarters.  
"where are we going?" I demand as I struggle to keep up. Steve is about good foot and a half taller than me, and I'm not known for my long legs.  
"Peter's identity is a very sensitive matter. Only a select few people know about it. Bruce and Tony have agreed to be his physicians to be sure his identity was kept secret." Steve says as he leads me into Bruce's lab.  
"Oh." I says simply, as I notice Peter who is laying on a bed hooked up to a dozen machines. He looked a little bruised and battered but he was alive.  
Bruce looks up from his charts and readjusts his glasses.  
"Anna didn't know you had any interest in Spider-Man." He says as he avoids eye contact.  
"Tony told you didn't he?" I ask  
"You know he did; Tony isn't one to keep secrets unless it's about himself. Most of the time not even then." We stand in silence for a moment, I don't want to ask. I don't know if Peter was really okay.  
"He's fine. A little bruised and beat up. He should be up soon, with one killer headache." He says gesturing towards Peter. I let go of a breath I didn't realize I was holding.  
"Did you really tackle a news reporter and beat her over the head with her microphone?" Bruce teased.  
"I didn't tackle her! I just knocked her down, with my body." I defend and Bruce laughs,  
After a bit Steve and Bruce left leaving me alone to sit by Peter's bedside. Waiting to wake up, but he doesn't. Despite Bruce telling me that he was fine, I still felt uneasy. This isn't exactly a good place to be, watching your boyfriend sleep while hoping that he'll wake up soon. The worst part is that it's my fault.  
I couldn't stop Veronica from attacking Peter. He would have died tonight if it weren't for someone else's quick would have died and I was helpless. Veronica could have taken me out easily. I was a liability. Stopping super-villains, it was too much. I wasn't cut out for being a super-hero, not the way Peter was. Maybe I should stick to killing people for a living. Forget about all this hero junk.  
Maybe I shouldn't be Red Hood anymore.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
Watching someone sleep (even when they are as good-looking as Peter) is boring. Even more so when he doesn't even do anything funny or cute in his sleep. He just lays there. So it's not that surprising that I fell asleep.  
"Anna! Psst. Anna. Anna wake up!" Peter whispers, jostling my shoulder, shaking me awake.  
"What?" I groan  
"Where am I?" he asks  
"S.H.E.I.L.D. headquarters."  
"Are you okay?"  
"Mmhmm."  
"Are you comfortable?"  
"No." the chair is rather hard, small and very plastic.  
"There's room on the bed." He says, shyly. I could barely hear him. I sit up know, looking at him. He looks a little worse for wear, his brown hair flopping in every which way. His cheeks are bruised but he's smiling at me.  
"Don't take this as an invitation or anything." I say, as I climb into the bed next to him.  
"An invitation of what exactly?" he asks, playing innocent  
"You know what." I say, as we struggle to keep all his wires attached and lay comfortably.  
"I love you." He whispers into my hair; his arms tighten around my waist.  
"I love you too." I whisper back, we're both quiet for a moment.  
"Are you okay?" he asks; I debate lying for a second. Telling him I'm fine. He'd see through that though. He sees through me. Besides I'm pretty sure lying is a big no-no in relationships.  
"I-you, when Veronica attacked you, I had never been more scared. I thought you were dead, Peter. I thought that I had just watched you die. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't help you. You almost died Peter and I all I could do was stand there and watch. I didn't even save you. A group of people caught you." I'm crying now, big fat sobs that shake my body.  
"Hey cool it Pix, I'm not going anywhere. I'm afraid you're stuck with me for a while," he laughs lightly "but if I did die, tonight. I wouldn't want you to hold yourself responsible for this, for that. I would want you to mourn at my funeral, and show up in something very sexy. I may be dead, but my ghost would appreciate it greatly. I would want you to move on, no sitting around and moping. Got it?' he asks.  
"Got it." I hiccup.  
We fall asleep in each other's arms.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17  
You know how people use the saying "rude awakening"? I really think that they should meet Tony Stark.  
"Hey! You two! Wake up!" Tony shouts at us, as he hip-checks the bed, nearly sending us flying. I glowered at Tony,  
"Morning Princess!" Tony says, faux-sweetly.  
"Whatever." I grumble as I climb out of the be, leaving a very bedraggled Peter in my wake. Steve bonded into the room, looking, well like he had a job for me to do.  
"The girl you guys took down last night is awake. I thought you might want a few words with her." Steve says, looking at me and frowning. "Oh and Anna," Steve calls as I leave the room,  
"Yeah?" I ask, "Your actions last night, have you in some deep waters. So be careful." He says , that's right the reporter.  
"She deserved it." I call as I leave the room.  
Veronica was in the first interrogation room. Well the first power-dampening interrogation room. When I walk in we both have a bit of surprise.  
She recognizes me, I realize; I'd forgotten to change out of my tattered clothes from the night before and I'm still wearing my cloak but the hood is down. My surprise is how sad she looks.  
I don't mean sad, as in she feels sad because she dropped her ice cream cone. Sad like, it hurts to look at this girl she looks so pitiful.  
I'd never spoken to Veronica, but I'd seen her in the halls, and I she was a cute kid. I guess. She was the type of girl to pay close attention to her appearance and yet she looked like she hadn't seen a mirror in months. If ever. Her once elegant brown hair was limp and hung about her face in ugly clumps. Her face, which was always so open and innocent is now pale and horrified; jumping at every noise. She flinches away from me when I sit down.  
"You're the girl who stole Mary-Jane's boyfriend, Peter." She states simply.  
"Is that really how everyone sees me? A home-wrecker?" I ask, she nods. "I didn't steal Peter; he'd broken up with Mary-Jane for a while. She just didn't accept it until she saw him kissing another girl." I defend, Veronica just looks at me blankly.  
"Why are you here?" she asks  
"Well that's a long story, one I'm not sure I want to tell you. So why don't you tell me what happened to you?' I ask. She shifts in her chair, not meeting my eyes,  
"It started with this guy online, he was older, eighteen, nineteen. I don't know. He was sweet, he told me I was beautiful, and we could talk for hours. He listened to me, about anything. We talked for months, and then he told me he was coming to New York. That he had a job interview here and he asked if I wanted to meet up somewhere. I said yes." She pauses for a second, her face faraway and distant. "We were supposed to be going to see a movie, but he stood me up. Texted me later and said that something had come up. Asked if I would come to his hotel room. I went, and when I got there he let me in. That's the last thing I remember. Before, the labs. He was in on it. Them taking me, whoever they were. Those people drugged me, experimented on me. They made me want to do things I didn't want to do. Things I knew were wrong. I hurt so many people, I did a lot of bad things. I- I tried to kill Spider-Man." She sobs, just as Peter (costume and all) leaps into the room, startling both Veronica and I.  
"Were you two talking about me?" he asks as he slips into the chair beside me. Veronica doesn't reply, just sits there looking from me to Peter and then from Peter from me.  
"I- um. Peter Parker is Spider-Man?" she asks dumfounded. Peter falls out of his chair, nearly taking the table down with him.  
"Um…" I say, unsure of what to say exactly. We can't deny it. But we also can't confirm it either. Veronica rolls her eyes,  
"It's quite obvious that you, Anna are Red Hood. Red Hood is with Spider-Man. EVERYONE has seen the pictures. Anna doesn't seem like the type of girl o two-time a guy, so Peter is Spider-Man."  
Well this just got fun.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 19  
After waiting for Brenda to call me, I decided to just go down there. Steve was still asleep, and Brenda had fallen asleep in the chair closest to the bed. When she was sleeping she looked like Peter a bit, they had similar noses, and lay there like the dead. I decided to sit down opposite Brenda and relax, and after I bit I dozed off too.  
When I awoke some time later, Brenda was awake and looking at me a bit surprised.  
"Has he waken up yet?" She asked me.  
"Not since I woke up. Before that, I have no clue." I responded.  
"I woke up, but you both were sleeping." Steve's voice startled both myself and Brenda. I was happy that he didn't wake up screaming in pain. Brenda went up to him, and kissed him.  
"Well, I think I might just have to get hurt more often if that's my prize for still being alive." He just laughed  
"You better not. The girls, Anna, myself, and your team need you to live. Don't go and put yourself in danger on purpose." She said to him. I was glad that he was okay, but Brenda had more on her mind. She looked over at me, and realized she was wondering about the girls  
"Steve, your daughters are doing great. They are smiling and laughing. Do you want me and Brenda to go and get them so you can see them?" Steve nodded his head to indicate that he wanted to see them. Brenda and I went to go and get them, and brought them back to Steve. He was happy that they were happy to see him.  
"You guys have gotten so big. I can't believe it. I promise to be a better dad from here on out." He told them.  
"You are a good dad for keeping them safe. We can't help it that so many villains are after us. We made it this far. The tower is still on lockdown, so we are safe." Brenda said and with that she turned to leave, saying she needed to shower.  
"So, how you feeling Old Timer?" I teased, Steve laughed and shook his head.  
"Horrible." I nodded  
"That's to be expected." I said, and we sat in silence for a bit.  
"Ms. Barton and Mr. Rogers, Ms. Parker has called the Avengers and Spider-Man to meet in your room. She has some important topics to discuss." JARVIS called over the intercom. Steve looked to me for answers but I didn't have any to give. I merely shrugged and waited for the team to head down.  
"You can't give yourself up to Doom! I just got you back." Was Peter's reply to what Brenda had just told us. I felt sorry for him, despite Clint and I's ongoing fight I can't imagine what Peter was going through. "If you are going to do this, I have to ask you something." Steve said.  
"Ask away." She replied.  
"This would be more memorable if I could get on one knee, but... Brenda Parker you are the love of my life. Ever since I first saw you in Biology I knew that we were meant to be. Not only that, but we brought two beautiful baby girls into this world. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" It may not have been that memorable, but it still brought tears to my eyes.  
"Yes! Yes, I will marry you. I love you, Steve." Then she went up and kissed him  
"Ah, if it isn't one of my enemies. Where is your team, Torch?" Doom said when he saw Brenda. When we left the tower, Peter broke down. He didn't want us to leave.  
"I came alone. Well, not alone exactly. I came with my daughter, just in case you needed her flame power that she can't control." Jonny replied. He said that because it was part of the plan.  
"Smart man. I do indeed need her flame ability as well as the element one. Loki was incompetent in fulfilling my demand." Doom replied. I could see the maniac look in his eyes. He knew what he was doing. "How is that Fiancé of yours Brenda?" He directed that question to her. How did he know about that?  
"How did you know about that?" she asked. He just smiled evilly.  
"You will be able to live at your home but you must do as I say and report back to me at the end of each day. Goes for your father as well. If you refused, your kids will suffer the same fate your mother did."  
"I wish you hadn't said that. Red hood, your turn." She shouted. I burst through a window right on que.  
"This is for Central Park, you son of a Bitch." I said and attacked with pure anger  
"Alright, Anna he surrendered." she said after Doom gave up, well was knocked unconscious. S.H.I.E.L.D. walked in then, and arrested Doom.  
"Brenda, Thank God you're alive after this stunt." It was Uncle Fury.  
"Nice to see you too, Fury." She replied. There was another reason why he was here. "Why are you really here?" she asked. He wasn't expecting that.  
But honestly none of this mattered much to me, so I left needing to see Peter.  
For me, the worst was over. Steve and Brenda was safe, Peter and I were together.  
Peter's point of view  
Things were slowing down. Anna and I were finishing up school, her and Clint were on speaking terms again. We were leaving school, the final bell had rung a nearly fifteen minutes ago, but Anna was slow, having promised to lug all of Brenda's school work over to her. When we finally reached her car, it was nearly four.  
"I forgot my phone! I'll be right back." She says, as she turns around. Then there it is, the pit in my stomach. My "spider-sense" tingling.  
"Anna- "  
"I'll be fine Peter. Be right back." She calls as she runs back to the school. I push away the feeling. What could possibly go wrong?  
That's when I heard the gunshots. BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!  
Three shots.  
Anna!  
I took off running, not even bothering with the spider-suit. Anna needed me. BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! Three more gunshots, dear god. That's when I turned the corner something hitting me hard in the head. As I struggled against the darkness that was pulling at me, I called for Anna. Then with no reply I fell, letting the darkness take me.  
~~~~~~ fin ~~~~~~~~~


	19. Author's note

So,  
It Starts with a Spark is done!  
AHHH!  
Nineteen chapters!  
YAY ^.^  
I am currently working on the sequel right now (Then it begins to smoke)  
So be on the lookout for that!  
Special thanks to :

cabrera1234 and

Cooljoanna14 for the reviews! You guys rock! ^.^

DiceyDitto

Gemini-Twin524

SnowBlade85

StarCarnage

cabrera1234

dolphingirlrrg

the-mad-girl-with-a-book

and

tsunasoraceillover for following this story! Thank SO MUCH! ^.^

and also thanks for favoriting this story!

YAY!

Thanks all you awesome humans beings for reading my weird story... you all rock and I love you all!

Redhoodgirlie


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